No sane person likes having to buy car insurance, especially when they know they could lower their rates if they shopped around. You have multiple auto insurance companies to pick from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, having more auto insurance companies makes it harder to locate the cheapest rates.
Make smart decisions and save money
Many different elements are considered when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic like your driving record, although others are not as apparent like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
- Do you need those extra policy coverages? – There are many extra coverages that can add up if you don’t pay attention. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing, and extra life insurance coverage may be wasting your money. The coverages may be enticing when deciding what coverages you need, but if you have no use for them remove them from your policy.
- Insurance rates in urban areas – Living in a small town has it’s advantages when trying to find low car insurance rates. Drivers in populated areas have to deal with more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents in addition to lower liability claims
- Save money by having high credit – Having a bad credit score can be an important factor in determining your rates. If your credit score can be improved, you could potentially save money when insuring your vehicle by improving your rating. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers who have worse credit.
- Good drivers pay less – Careful drivers receive lower rates as compared to careless drivers. Even one ticket can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Drivers with dangerous violations like reckless driving or DUI may find that they have to to complete a SR-22 with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
- Do you save by driving less? – Driving a lot of miles annually the more it will cost to insure it. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting cost less to insure than those that get driven frequently. Verify your declarations sheet reflects the correct usage, because it can save money.
- Pay more out-of-pocket – Physical damage protection, also called ‘full coverage’, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Examples of some claims that would be covered are running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and damage caused by flying debris. Deductibles for physical damage tell how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The more of the claim you’re willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Frequent insurance claims will cost you – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in South Dakota generally give discounts to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Know your vehicle’s crash test rating – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to be cheaper to insure. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means less claims paid and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your car, truck, or SUV scored at minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it may cost less to insure.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways to compare quotes from different companies. One of the best ways to find competitive insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
The most recommended method to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This form prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company you want a rate for. Taking the time to complete one form gets you coverage quotes from multiple companies.
A more difficult way to find more affordable insurance consists of visiting the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For example, let’s say you need rates from USAA, Liberty Mutual and Progressive. In order to compare rates, you need to navigate to each company’s site and enter your policy data, which can take a lot of time. To view a list of companies in Parkston, click here.
If you have time to kill, the last way to quote and compare insurance rates is actually driving to all the different Parkston insurance agencies. The ability to get quotes online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the trained advice of a licensed agent. Although you can get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area.
Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing nearly identical deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you use different coverage information then you won’t be able to determine which company has the best rates in Parkston. Just slight variations in limits could throw off the whole comparison. Just remember that quoting more increases your odds of finding the best price. Not every company allows you to get online price quotes, so it’s necessary to compare price quotes from those companies as well.
Car insurance policy discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t list all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.
- Accident Waiver – Not really a discount, but companies like Allstate, Progressive, and Geico will let one accident slide before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
- Save over 55 – Seniors can get a small discount on rates.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying a policy with multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
- Full Payment Discount – By paying your entire bill at once as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Distant Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may be insured at a cheaper rate.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free car insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
A few popular companies and the discounts they provide are outlined below.
- Farm Bureau has savings for youthful driver, renewal discount, 55 and retired, safe driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and driver training.
- State Farm offers discounts for multiple policy, driver’s education, anti-theft, safe vehicle, and accident-free.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for continuous coverage, multi-policy, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, good student, online signing, and homeowner.
- Allstate may have discounts that include good payer, senior citizen, utility vehicle, good student, new car, and multi-policy.
- Nationwide has discounts for Farm Bureau membership, easy pay, business or organization, multi-policy, and defensive driving.
- MetLife offers discounts including good student, good driver, accident-free, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
If you need , ask each insurance company to apply every possible discount. Discounts may not apply to policies everywhere. To see companies with significant discounts in South Dakota, click here.
When to contact a local insurance agent
A small number of people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! An additional benefit of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that you can find lower prices and still buy from a local agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is important especially in Parkston.
After filling out this simple form, your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go to you directly. You can find better rates without a big time investment. In the event you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, feel free to search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
Independent or Captive: It’s your choice
If you want to buy car insurance from a local insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the different types of agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Car insurance policy providers can be categorized as either captive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents often have affiliation with several companies and that is an advantage because they can write policies with many different companies and find you cheaper rates. If your premiums go up, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing car insurance prices, you need to get quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Featured below are independent insurance agencies in Parkston that can give you comparison quotes.
Wenzel Insurance – 120 W Main St – Parkston, SD 57366 – (605) 928-3063
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on what they offer which can be an advantage.
Shown below are Parkston captive agents that can give you rate quotes.
American Family Insurance – 119 W Main St – Parkston, SD 57366 – (605) 928-7972
To view insurance agencies near you, view this complete selection of Parkston, SD car insurance providers.
Picking an insurance agency requires more thought than just the premium amount. Before buying a policy, get answers to these questions.
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Parkston?
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
What is the best car insurance coverage?
When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions can help discover if you might need professional guidance.
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Additional car insurance information is located on the located here. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, download brochures, and file complaints about a company.
Other useful links include Wikipedia and this resource to find Parkston, SD insurance agents.
You can find cheaper coverage
We just covered many ways to get a better price on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your auto insurance rates. Consumers could even find that the best rates are with an unexpected company. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower auto insurance rates compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
When buying insurance coverage, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.